round red face. A great white Jam Pot danced just behind the Cook, and
was followed by a dozen bright Green Apples. A Dancing-master came
next, bowing and smiling at Peter as he passed him, then a Bear
paddling clumsily along on its hind legs, its great red mouth wide
open to show its long white teeth, then a Gooseberry Tart marked
"Stolen", then an Arithmetic with a mean sort of face, rulers for
legs, and compasses for arms; then a Clock that had been meddled with
by somebody (Rudolf felt certain it was not by him) and kept striking
all the time; then a Piano with a lot of horrid exercises waiting to
be practised; then last of all a familiar clumsy figure with one red
glaring eye--their old enemy, the Warming-pan!

As Rudolf was trying to take in these, and many others in that curious
throng, he felt himself sharply pinched by Ann. "Look, look," she
whispered, "over there where it's so dark, close to Peter. Oh, don't
you know _now_ who their Boss is?"

Rudolf looked. Clearly enough now he saw two flaming green eyes and a
clumsy black figure crouching on the ground. Before this figure every
one of the dancers made a low bow as he passed.

"Don't you know him?" repeated Ann, shivering with excitement. "It's
Manunderthebed!"

"Oh, well, what if it is?" whispered Rudolf. "I stopped bothering
about _him_ years ago. He's only for babies."

Ann was not deceived by Rudolf's cheerful tone. Manunderthebed might
not amount to much at home with nurse and mother to frighten him away,
but here in his own country it was not pleasant to meet him.